Device for distributing liquid with mechanical cleaning means



y 30, 1957 TADASHI ASANO ETAL 3,322,139

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUID WITH MECHANICAL CLEANING MEANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 28, 1964 y 30, 1957 TADASHI ASANO ETAL.

DEVICE FOR DI STRIBUTING LIQUID WITH MECHANICAL CLEANING MEANS Filed Feb. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet? y 30, 1967 TADASHI ASANO ETAL 3,322,139

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUID WITH MECHANICAL CLEANING MEANS Filed Feb. 28, 1964 4 Sheets Sheet 3 2 FIG. IO 27 2| 2 m1 rr'n l\\ W dim l a g5 23 'v 7 a 23 u 7 2O 8 I I Q 2| k\\ I z? g 1 28 J m 5 FIG. 2 HA 2 I 6 '1 I y 1967 TADASHI -ASANO ETA-L 3,322,139

DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUID WITH MECHANICAL CLEANING MEANS Filed Feb. 28, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet United States Patent 3,322,139 DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING LIQUID WITH MECHANICAL CLEANING MEANS Tadashi Asano, Senichi Masuda, and Tsutomu Ito, Tokyo, Japan, assignors to Onoda Cement Company Limited, Yamaguchi, Prefecture, Japan Filed Feb. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 348,201 Claims priority, application Japan, Mar. 3, 1963, 38/10,334; June 5, 1963, sis/29,476, 3s/29,477 2 Claims. (Cl. 137242) This invention relates to a device for distributing a liquid in predetermined amounts to various places.

It has been previously practiced to use valves and cocks to distribute a liquid. The use of the valves and cocks is not only disadvantageous in that devices employed become large-sized but also is extremely difiicult to control the liquid to be distributed in a predetermined proportion. It can be said that it is impossible to distribute a liquid in a predetermined proportion in a plurality of pipes with such a degree of accuracy that an error in distribution is maintained at several percent for a long period of time. Also if a valve or a cock is used to feed a liquid at a flow rate as small as a few litres or some dozen litres for each hour into a single pipe, then the same should have throttle portion very small in cross sectional area. This results in a disadvantage that inclusions entrained by a flow of liquid may readily block the valve. Further, where a liquid such as heavy oil varying its viscosity greatly dependent upon its temperature is preheated and fed through a valve or cock at a predetermined rate for a long period of time, that portion of the liquid upstream of the valve or cock will be dilferent in temperature from that portion thereof downstream of the same resulting in a change in a flow rate of the liquid. To compensate for this change in flow rate the cross sectional area of the throttle portion of the valve or cock is required to be continuously controlled in accordance with the change in temperature of the liquid. However, such control of the throttle portion is hardly possible to adjust consistently the flow rate of the liquid.

Accordingly, the chief object of the invention is to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages and objections for the conventional type of liquid distribution devlces.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device for distributing a liquid, simple in construction, small in dimension and reliable in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device for distributing a liquid, including I means for varying a proportion of distribution of the liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved device for distributing a liquid including means for removing, in simple and effective manner, inclusions entrained by a flow of liquid and deposited in the device.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention resides in a device for distributing a liquid, comprising a single main supply duct, a plurality of distribution pipes, one communication passage for communicating said main supply duct with each of said distribution pipes, said communication passage having at least one portion of reduced cross section presenting a resistance to a flow of liquid therethrough sufiiciently higher than a resistance presented by the associated distribution pipe to a flow therethrough and preferably equal to at least five times the latter resistance, and means for maintaining the flows of liquid through said communication passages at a substantially fixed temperature.

The invention will become more readily apparent from 3,322,139 Patented May 30, 1967 "ice the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows schematically a longitudinal section of a device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;

FIGURE 1A shows a cross section taken along the line IA-IA of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 shows schematically a longitudinal sectional view of another device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention;

FIGURE 2A shows a cross section taken along the line IIAIIA of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 shows a perspective view of a flow-rate control rod suitable for use in the device illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 2A;

FIGURE 4 shows an elevational view, partly in section of a modification of the invention with the section taken along the line IVIV of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 5 shows a cross section taken along the line VV of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 shows a longitudinal sectional view of yet another modification of the invention;

FIGURE 7 shows a perspective View of an inner layer of a communication tube suitable for use in the device illustrated in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 shows a perspective view of a flow-rate control rod suitable for use in the device illustrated in FIG- URE 6;

FIGURE 9 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a still further modification of the invention; and

FIGURE 10 shows a cross section taken along the line XX of FIGURE 9.

As will be well known, any pipe presents generally a resistance to a flow of liquid therethrough proportional to the fourth power of the inside diameter thereof. Thus, the amount of the liquid leaving the pipe is governed by this resistance presented by the pipe to the flow of liquid therethrough.

Therefore, the invention is based upon the discovery that, if a main supply duct is connected to a distribution pipe through a communication passage presenting a resistance to a flow of liquid therethrough sufficiently higher than a resistance presented by the distribution pipe to a flow of liquid therethrough that an amount of the liquid leaving the distribution pipe is scarcely alfected by a more or less change in resistance presented by the pipe to a flow of liquid therethrough, this change in resistance being due to a variation in temperature of the liquid flowing through the distribution pipe.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated a device for distributing a liquid according to the teachings of the invention. An arrangement illustrated comprises a single main duct 1 for supplying a liquid, a metallic block 2 liquid-tight secured to the enlarged end of the main duct 1 by means of aplurality of bolts and nuts 3 and4 and including a plurality of passages or through-holes 5 of small cross section formed in spaced parallel relationship therein, and distribution pipes 6 equal in number to the holes and rigidly connected to holes respectively. Although nine through holes are illustrated in FIGURE 1A, the number of the holes may be varied at will, if desired. It will be seen that a liquid from a liquid reservoir (not shown) flows into the main duct 1 and then is distributed into the distribution pipes 6 through the associated through-holes 5.

According to the teachings of the invention the length and inside diameter of the hole 5 is designed such that a resistance presented by the same to a flow of liquid therethrough is sufliciently higher than a resistance presented by the associated distribution pipe 6 to a flow of liquid therethrough. It has been found that the resistance to the flow of liquid due to the hole is equal to at least five times that due to the associated distribution pipe with the satisfactory results. In practicing the invention it is essential that the flows of the holes should be maintained at a substantially uniform temperature. Therefore, the block 2 is preferably made of a good thermally conductive material such as copper, iron or the like. This eliminates the necessity of using any thermostatic oven associated with the device.

As an example, a metallic block having a length of 200 mm., a width of 100 mm. and a height of 100 mm. was provided with twenty through-holes 2 mm. in diameter and 200 mm. in length. The block was then connected at one end to a main duct for'supplying a liquid and the other ends of the holes were connected to twenty distribution pipes 3 mm. in inside diameter respectively. The pipes used were different in length from each other by from 1 to 3 in. Then heavy oil was flowed intothe device just described and were permitted to flow out from the distribution pipes at a rate of 40 litres per hour, with the result that a degree of distribution accuracy was i2% and remained unchanged for a long period of time.

While the invention has been described in terms of flows of liquid leaving the respective distribution pipes maintained at a substantially constant and common flow rate, the same is equally applicable to devices by which amounts of liquid leaving a plurality of distribution pipes are variable. One example of the latter devices is illustrated in FIGURES 2, 2A and 3, wherein like reference numerals have been employed to identify the components similar to those illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 1A.

As best shown in FIGURE 2, a rod 7 for controlling a flow rate of a liquid flowing through a through hole 5 is telescopically fitted into that hole.

In FIGURE 3 the control rod 7 is shown as including a longitudinal groove 8 formed on the periphery throughout the length thereof. It is to be understood that a passage defined by the groove 8 and the adjacent portion of the inner wall surface of the hole 5 is again dimensioned in the same manner as in the arrangement of FIGURES 1 and 1A.

In operation, a liquid from a liquid reservoir (not shown) passes to a main duct 1 and is distributed in a plurality of passages defined by the grooves 8 on the control rod 7 inserted into theassociated holes 5 formed in a metallic block and the adjacent portions of the inner wall surfaces of the holes and thence into the associated distribution pipes 6 through the respective holes 5. The

7 amount of the liquid flowing into the particular distribufore, the liquid leaving the distribution pipe can easily be controlled in amount by varying the length of that portion of the control rod 7 inserted in the associated hole 5. For this purpose, the groove on each control rod may be conveniently provided on one edge with the graduations 9 indicating the relationship between the amount of the liquid leaving the associated distribution pipe and the length of the control rod up to which the same is inserted into that pipe and which can be preliminarily determined by experiments.

While the invention has been described in terms of a metallic block such as the block 2 including therein a plurality of thin holes with or without control rods the same may be equally practiced by using a plurality of thin tubes provided that no temperature gradient would take place in flows of liquid through such tubes.

Referring now to FIGURES 4 and 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modification of the invention capable of controlling amounts of a liquid distributed in a plurality of distribution pipes respectively. An arrangement illustrated comprises a single main duct 1 for supplying a liquid and a housing 2 having the main duct' 1 connected at one end thereof and a plurality, in this case, two of an open-ended communication tubes 5 of circular cross section partially inserted into and secured to the same at the other end. Each of the communication tubes 5 is provided on the periphery of the portion thereof inserted into the housing 2 with a helical slot 10 circumferentially extending through an angle of less than 21r radians and includes its exported portion connected to an individual distribution pipe 6.

A control rod 7 includes a longitudinal groove 8 formed on the periphery and telescopically fits to revolve into each communication tube 5 with the lower end substantially flush with the adjacent end of the tube. The control rod 7 also includes its upper portion of reduced diameter extending through a plug 11 snugly fitted into the upper end of the tube 5, a packing 12 for preventing the liquid from leaking through an annular space between the plug and an adjacent portion of the rod and a glad 13 fitted onto the upper end of the tube and includes rigidly secured at the upper end a handle 14 for rotating the control rod 7. Further the control rod 7 is provided with a circumferential groove 15 formed at a level substantially equal to that of the connection of the communication tube 5 and the distribution pipe 6, and serving to communicate the groove 8 with the distribution tube 6.

It is to be noted that, as in the previous embodiments, a passage defined by the groove 8 on the control rod 7 and the adjacent portion of the internal wall surface of the communication tube 5 is designed to present a resistance to a flow of liquid therethrough sufficiently high as compared with the associated distribution pipe 6.

With the arrangement illustrated, the longitudinal groove 8 communicates with the helical slot 10 of the communication tube 5 at a point determined by the relative position of the control rod to the tube and hence the length of that portion of the groove through which the liquid can flow depends upon the junction of the helical slot 10 and the groove 8.

In operation, a liquid from the main duct 1 flows into the housing 2 and passes through the connection of the slot 10 and the groove 8, that portion of the groove disposed above said connection where the flow rate of the liquid is set as in the previous cases, and the circumferential groove 15 to the associated distribution pipe ,6. In this case, since the housing 2 is of a relatively large volume and the liquid within the housing 2 surrounds all the communicating tubes 5, the flow of liquid through the groove 8 is maintained at a temperature substantially equal to that of the liquid portion within the housing. Thus the housing cooperates with the liquid within the same to provide means for maintaining the flows of liquid through the grooves substantially at a predetermined temperature. The proportion of distribution is always maintained at a constant value primarily determined by the lengths of those portions of the grooves 8 through which the liquid is flowing. It will be appreciated that the handle 14 can be operated to revolve the control rod 7 With respect to the communication tube 5 to thereby control the fiow rate at which the liquid leaves the distribution pipe 6.

To this end, the handle 14 may be advantageously associated with graduations (not shown) indicating the flow rate as in the embodiment previously described in conjunction with FIGURES 2, 2A and 3.

As previously mentioned, a liquid to be distributed may contain inclusions. These inclusions may deposit in the communication passages and more particularly on the reduced portion thereof resulting in blocking of the devices. It is desirable to provide means for removing such inclu-i sions deposited within the communication passages.

Referring now to FIGURES 6 through -8 of the drawings, there is illustrated another modification of the invention including means for removing inclusions entrained by a flow of liquid and deposited in communication passages. The maindifferences between the arrangements shown in FIGURE 6 and FIGURE 4 respectively will now be described with like reference numerals designating the components corresponding to those illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 5. The arrangement illustrated comprises a plurality of communication tubes 5 disposed in spaced parallel relationship within a housing 2 in a plane perpendicular to the plane of FIGURE 6, although only one of the tubes are illustrated. The communication tube 5 includes an outer circular tube portion 5a and an inner circular tube portion 5b press fitted into the same with the inner tube portion provided with a longitudinal slot or groove 8 extending over the length thereof except for one end portion (see FIGURE 7).

In order to control a flow rate of liquid, a control rod 7 is telescopically inserted into the inner tube portion 5b and includes one end portion disposed externally of housing 2 for the purpose of manually displacing the rod in the longitudinal direction. The control rod 7 is provided on the other end or that end thereof disposed in the communication tube 5 with a radially directed scraper pawl 16 complementary in shape to the groove 8 for the purpose which will be described later. Further the control rod 7 includes formed on the face of the other end a recess 17 opening on the outer surface thereof adjacent the pawl 16 in aligned relationship. When the control rod 7 is disposed in the communication tube 5 the scraper pawl 16 is arranged to engage the longitudinal groove 8 on the communication tube 5b while the recess 17 communicates with the slot 8.

In order to indicate a flow rate of a liquid flowing through each communication tube 5 and hence the associated distribution pipe 6 a nozzle 18 is provided within the housing 2 between an exit of a single main supply duct 1 and an entrance of each communication tube 5 and having a pressure gauge 19 is connected across the nozzle 18.

The arrangement illustrated is operated substantially in the same manner as that shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. However, an indication on each of the pressure gauges 19 provides a measure of a flow rate of a liquid flowing through the associated distribution pipe 6. In this connection it is noted that the liquid portions flowing through the respective nozzles 18 have a common viscosity even through any variation in the temperature of the liquid would cause the viscosity of the liquid to change. Therefore, the pressure gauges 19 always indicate a precise value of a proportion of distribution for any liquid such as heavy oil varying its viscosity greatly dependent upon its temperature.

If the inclusions entranced by the flow of liquid flowing through the particular groove 8 has been deposited there, the pressure gauge 19 coupled to that groove 8 is varied in indication acquainting an operator with a change in the associated flow rate. Then the operator can reciprocally move the associated rod 7 along the communication tube 5 associated with the groove 8 in which the inclusions have been deposited. This reciprocal movement of the control rod 7 permits the deposited inclusions to flow into the associated distribution pipe 6 through the scraper pawl 16 sliding along the groove 8. After the completion of removal of the inclusions the control rod reciprocally moved may be returned back to its initial position to thereby set the flow rate to be initially set value.

When the device is constructed such that the liquid within the housing 2 surrounds all the communicating tubes 5, the flows of liquid through the respective grooves and hence the communication tubes can readily be maintained at a substantially fixed temperature.

Referring to FIGURES 9 and 10, a device illustrated comprises a single main supply duct 1 and a plurality of distribution pipes 6 connected to the main duct through respective passages formed in a metallic block 2 as in the arrangement shown in FIGURE 1. The metallic block 2 is provided with a through bore 20 of circular cross section having a relatively large diameter. In each of a plurality of spaced parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bore 20 the metallic block 2 is provided with a through opening 21 passing through that longitudinal axis and an aperture 22 opening both in the bore 20 and on that side thereof facing the main supply duct 1. The through opening 21 is connected at one end to the associated distribution pipe 6 and normally liquid-tight closed at the other end by a blocking screw 23 screwed into the same.

A cylindrical member 24 is closely fitted into the bore 20 for revolution with its both ends flush with the adjacent ends of the bore respectively.

Either or both of the metallic block and cylindrical members 2 and 24 should be made of a good thermally conductive material for the purpose as previously described.

In order to communicate each aperture 22 with the associated opening 21, the cylindrical member 24 is provided with a groove of reduced cross section 8 circumferentially extending on the periphery through a length of are slightly greater than that just sufficient to connect the aperture 22 with the opening 21 and assembled positioned in the perpendicular plane as above described. The groove 8 has the same function as the passage 5 previously described in conjunction with FIGURE 1. Also in the same plane and in the cylindrical member a scavenging diametric hole 25 is provided having one end opening into the groove 8 and preferably midway between both ends thereof for the purpose as will be apparent hereinafter.

Disposed in each aperture 22 is an L-shaped scraper pawl 26 having one end secured to the metallic block 2 and the other end slidably engaging the associated groove 8. If desired, such scraper pawl may be disposed on the exit of the groove 8.

The bore 20 is closed at both ends by a pair of cover plates 27 by any suitable means such as bolts. To manually revolve, when desired, the cylindrical member 24, the same includes secured thereto handle means 28 extending through one of the cover plates 27.

To monitor flows of liquid through the respective distribution pipes 6, a pressure gauge 29 is connected to the main supply duct 1 while another pressure gauge 30 connected to each through opening 21 as shown in FIG- URE 9.

The device described is operated in the same manner as in the previous arrangements.

In operation, if a fault occurs in a flow of liquid through any groove 8 due to the deposition of inclusions in the same, which are entrained by the flow of liquid being deposited, then the pressure gauge 30 associated with the groove out of order will indicate decrease in pressure while the pressure gauge 29 for the main supply duct indicates increase in pressure. Then an operator can operate the handle means 28 to move the scraper pawls 26 along the groove 8 from their entrance to their exit and then to return to their original position to permit the deposited inclusions to pass toward the associated distribution pipe 6 whereby a flow rate of the liquid flowing through the distribution pipe in question is returned back to its original value.

Also, in operation, if the flow rate of liquid through any one or more of the distribution pipes 6 varies the associated pressure gauges will indicate such variation in flow rate. Then the operator can operate the handle means 28 to align the scavenging holes 25 with the through openings 21. Thereafter, the blocking screw 23 associated with said or each distribution pipe 6 changed in flow rate is removed from the scavenging end of the openings 21 and then the pipe is scavenged from the scavenging end. After the completion of scavenge, the blocking bolt may be screwed into the associated opening 21 and the handle means 28 will return back to its original position.

If desired, the cylindrical member 24 may be replaced by any suitable revolution-body such as a truncated conical or semispherical member with the bore 20 varied in shape accordingly. In this connection, it should be mentioned that biasing of the truncated conical or semispherical member toward its reduced end by any suitable resilient means can efiectively prevent the liquid within any groove 8 from flowing into another groove even in the case the surface of the member formed with the grooves would have been abrased during service.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the objects of the invention have been accomplished by the provision of passages of reduced cross section for communicating a single main supply duct with distribution pipe respectively and of means for removing inclusions entrained by the flow of liquid and deposited in the passages. Further the invention is applicable to any distribution of a liquid regardless of its amounts of distribution and is particularly suitable for distributing a liquid in relatively small amounts in a large number'of distribution pipes. Therefore, if the invention is applied to calcining shaft furnaces, melting furnaces, or burning furnaces using liquid fuels, many nozzles and burners equipped in such furnaces can be consistently supplied with the liquid fuel in predetermined amounts with a high degree of accuracy in distribution maintained for a long time and thereby smooth and efiicient operation of furnace is resulted in extremely easy manner.

While the invention has been described with reference to the certain preferred embodiments thereof it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby and that various modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. A device for distributing a liquid, comprising a housing, a single main supply duct connected to said housing, a plurality of double-walled communication tubes disposed within said housing, each of said communication tubes including on its inner wall portion a longitudinal groove, one distribution pipe connected to each of said communication tubes, a control rod telescopically inserted into said each communication tube for controlling a flow rate of the liquid flowing through the associated distribution pipe, a radially directed scraper pawl disposed on that end of said control rod near said distribution pipe and complementary in shape to said groove, a recess formed on said end of said control rod and opening into the groove, to provide communication between said groove and the associated distribution pipe, said longitudinal groove presenting a resistance to a flow of liquid therethrough at least five times higher than a resistance presented by the associated distribution pipe to a flow of liquid therethrough.

2. A device for distributing a liquid asrdefined in claim 1, further comprising a nozzle disposed between said main supply duct and each of said communication tubes and a pressure gauge connected across said nozzle;

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 929,593 7/1909 Hosley 251121 X 1,247,951 11/1917 Fuller 251--118 X 1,259,054 3/ 1918 Stewart 137242 1,754,138 4/ 1930 Agee 25 l121 2,084,248 6/ 1937 Ferrari 137232 X 2,158,737 5/1939 Wunsch 251121 2,219,504 10/1940 Willis 25 1-121 X 2,288,297 6/1942 Naiman 251-118 X 2,298,212 10/ 1942 Huston 137--242 2,347,903 5/1944 Gluck 13840 2,821,210 1/1958 Liley 251118 X 2,852,237 9/1958 Rees 251118 X 2,953,167 9/1960 Smith 13840 7 3,069,126 12/1962 Randall 251-121 FOREIGN PATENTS 219,203 11/ 1958 Australia. 1,120,746 4/1956 France.

CLARENCE R. GORDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING A LIQUID, COMPRISING A HOUSING, A SINGLE MAIN SUPPLY DUCT CONNECTED TO SAID HOUSING, A PLURALITY OF DOUBLE-WALLED COMMUNICATION TUBES DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOUSING, EACH OF SAID COMMUNICATION TUBES INCLUDING ON ITS INNER WALL PORTION A LONGITUDINAL GROOVE, ONE DISTRIBUTION PIPE CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID COMMUNICATION TUBES, A CONTROL ROD TELESCOPICALLY INSERTED INTO SAID EACH COMMUNICATION TUBE FOR CONTROLLING A FLOW RATE OF THE LIQUID FLOWING THROUGH THE ASSOCIATED DISTRIBUTION PIPE, A RADIALLY DIRECTED SCRAPER PAWL DISPOSED ON THAT END OF SAID CONTROL ROD NEAR SAID DISTRIBUTION PIPE AND COMPLEMENTARY IN SHAPE TO SAID GROOVE, A RECESS FORMED ON SAID END OF SAID CONTROL ROD AND OPENING INTO THE GROOVE, TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID GROOVE AND THE ASSOCIATED DISTRIBUTION PIPE, SAID LONGITUDINAL GROOVE PRESENTING A RESISTANCE TO A FLOW OF LIQUID THERETHROUGH AT LEAST FIVE TIMES HIGHER THAN A RESISTANCE PRESENTED BY THE ASSOCIATED DISTRIBUTION PIPE TO A FLOW OF LIQUID THERETHROUGH. 